H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Az.) and strongly backed by NRLC, would protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain, defined in the bill as beginning at 20 weeks fetal age, with certain exceptions. (Twenty weeks fetal age is equivalent to 22 weeks in the alternate “LMP” or “weeks of pregnancy” dating system used by ob-gyns and abortion providers.) The bill also contains certain protections for babies who may be born alive in abortions performed under the exception clauses. The bill contains extensive congressional findings that by 20 weeks fetal age, if not earlier, the unborn child is capable of experiencing great pain when subjected to a dismemberment abortion or killed by other late abortion techniques. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is the prime sponsor of companion legislation in the Senate. These bills are based on model legislation developed by National Right to Life in 2010, and since enacted in 15 states. For more information on this issue, click here and here.